Detailed Action
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Specification
2. The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it contains legal
term "Comprising". Correction is required. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Objections
3. Claims 2, 9, 49-53, 55-56 and 59 are objected to because of the following informalities:
(i) In claim 9, 55 and 59, define DCI; Examiner suggest- - -Downlink control information (DCI)- - -,
(ii) In claim 49, lines 1, “wherein” is missing in front of “the processing circuit”;
(iii) In claim 52, MACCE and HARQ are not define;
(iv) In claim 53, TCI is not define; Examiner suggest- - -Transmission configuration indicator (TCI)- - -. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
4. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
5. Claims 6, 9, 50 and 56 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
(i) Claim 6 recites “the best channel quality measurement result”, the best channel---- lack antecedent basis;
(ii) Claim 9 recites “a base station”, It is not clear if is the same base station recited in claim 1;
(iii) Claim 50 recites “a channel quality measurement result for the at least one DLRS”, It is not clear if is the same channel quality measurement result recited in claim 1;
(iv) Claim 56 recites “a channel quality measurement result”, It is not clear if is the same channel quality measurement result recited in claim 54. Clarification is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
7. Claims 1-5, 8,9, 54, 55 and 57-59 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li (US 2022/0123818 A1) in view of Enescu et al (US 2021/0119688 A1).
With regards to claim 1, Li discloses an electronic device for a user equipment (UE) side (see Terminal 500, Figure 5), the UE including a plurality of antenna panels ([0007], n antenna panels, [0029] Similarly, the terminal may have multiple antenna panels), the electronic device comprising:
a processing circuit ([0149], the terminal 500 may further include a modem processor 505) configured to:
receive, from a base station, one or more downlink reference signals (DL RSs), via the plurality of antenna panels ([0030] Taking transmission of downlink data as an example, the base station may semi-statically switch the antenna panel that is configured to send PDSCH for the same terminal. For example, the base station has two antenna panels: panel #1 and panel #2, and the base station sends a PDSCH to a certain terminal by using the panel #1 for a period of time, then the beam indication codeword included in the DCI for the period of time indicates a TCI state on the panel #1. [0035] Beam indication information corresponding to one of the n antenna panels is configured to indicate a corresponding beam when data transmission is performed by using the antenna panel. In one example, the beam indication information is a TCI state, and a TCI state corresponding to the target antenna panel is configured to indicate a receiving beam used by the terminal when the terminal receives downlink data by using the target antenna panel. In another example, the beam indication information is SRI, and SRI corresponding to the target antenna panel is configured to indicate a transmitting beam used by the terminal when the terminal sends uplink data by using the target antenna panel.; and
Li discloses all of the subject matter discussed above, except for
provide, to the base station, a beam report indicating an association of the plurality of antenna panels with the one or more DL RSs wherein the beam report comprises: a panel state of at least one antenna panel of the plurality of antenna panels; an index of at least one DL RS of the one or more DL RSs received via the at least one antenna panel; and a channel quality measurement result for the at least one DL RS.
However, Enescu et al in the same field of endeavor (digital signal processing, MIMO beamforming) teaches a beam indicating for multi-panel UE method and system (see [0101], FIG. 7 provides an example TCI table 700 configured for the UE 110. Table 700 includes columns for a TCI index 210, a source RS set 220, a source RS index/panel index 710 and a QCL type 240).
In [0108], the UE 110 may report in a single reporting instance two different resources [CRI or SSBRI] for each report setting and the corresponding receiver panel tag (Rx-panel-tag), where [CSI-RS and/or SSB] resources may be received simultaneously by the UE 110 either with a single spatial domain receive filter, or with multiple simultaneous spatial domain receive filters. UE 110 may report in a single reporting instance multiple resources, which may be both CSI-RS resources indexed using CRI (CSI-RS resource indicator) and SSB resources indexed using SSBRI (SSB resource indicator), for each report setting and the corresponding RX-panel-tag where resources may be received simultaneously.
In [0122], UE 110 may provide beam reports to gNB 170 indicating with panel tag which is used for measuring particular BM source RS.
In [0146], an example embodiment, for determining which downlink RSs are good to determine feasible downlink beam pair links, the UE 110 may be configured for normal L1-RSRP reporting calculated on configured SS/PBCH and/or CSI-RS resources.
In [0147], an example embodiment, for determining which downlink RSs are good to determine feasible uplink beam pair links, the UE 110 may be configured to provide L1-RSRP reports for the configured SS/PBCH and/or CSI-RS resources which are best from uplink beam pair links determination point of view.
In [0150], the UE 110 may provide, together with the best RSRP values ranked using power headroom calculations, the UE's 110 RX panel index to indicate to the gNB 170 which UE 110 antenna panel has been used to measure reported best RSRP values in power headroom sense.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Li ‘s beam report by making use of the technique taught by Enescu, in order to improve the beam management efficiency. MPEP 2143, Rationale C
With regards to claim 2, the combination of Li and Enescu et al discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more DL RSs is selected from a group comprising: a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS); a synchronization signal block (SSB); a CSI-RS resource set with a repetition parameter, Repetition, being configured to be ON; and a SSB resource set ( see [ 0026], The RS may be Non-Zero Power Channel State Information Reference Signal, non-zero power channel state information reference signal (NZP CSI-RS), Synchronization Signal Block (SSB), or any other reference signal, which are not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure. Exemplary correspondences between the TCI state and the RS identifier are shown in Table-1:- - -).
With regards to claim 3, the combination of Li and Enescu et al discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the beam report further comprises a panel ID or label to identify the at least one panel ([0038] , the antenna panel indicated by the information element may be represented an identifier of the antenna panel. For example, the identifier of the antenna panel may be represented by a panel ID, and different antenna panels are assigned with different panel IDs correspondingly. Alternatively, the identifier of the antenna panel may be represented by identification information of an RS, which may be SSB, NZP CSI-RS or Sounding Reference Signal (SRS)).
With regards to claim 4, the combination of Li and Enescu et al discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the panel state indicates that a respective antenna panel is in one of the following states: inactivated; partially activated for downlink measurements only; partially activated for downlink measurements and data transmission only; or fully activated ([0007], The terminal may receive Media Access Control (MAC) signaling sent from a base station. The MAC signaling may be configured to activate beam indication information respectively corresponding to n antenna panels. The beam indication information corresponding to one of then antenna panels may be configured to indicate a corresponding beam when data transmission is performed by using the antenna panel. The MAC signaling may include an information element configured to instruct the terminal to activate the n antenna panels. The n is a positive integer. The terminal may receive Downlink Control Information (DCI) sent from the base station. The DCI may include a beam indication codeword which may be configured to indicate target beam indication information respectively corresponding to the n antenna panels).
With regards to claim 5, the combination of Li and Enescu et al discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the UE is configured to receive each of the one or more DL RSs with a different antenna panel of the at least one antenna panel, wherein the beam report comprises, for each of the at least one antenna panel: a panel state of the antenna panel; an index of a DL RS associated with the antenna panel; and a channel quality measurement result for the DL RS associated with the antenna panel( see Enescu et al, [0108], the UE 110 may report in a single reporting instance two different resources [CRI or SSBRI] for each report setting and the corresponding receiver panel tag (Rx-panel-tag), where [CSI-RS and/or SSB] resources may be received simultaneously by the UE 110 either with a single spatial domain receive filter, or with multiple simultaneous spatial domain receive filters. UE 110 may report in a single reporting instance multiple resources, which may be both CSI-RS resources indexed using CRI (CSI-RS resource indicator) and SSB resources indexed using SSBRI (SSB resource indicator), for each report setting and the corresponding RX-panel-tag where resources may be received simultaneously.
In [0122], UE 110 may provide beam reports to gNB 170 indicating with panel tag (antennal panel) which is used for measuring particular BM source RS.
In [0146], an example embodiment, for determining which downlink RSs are good to determine feasible downlink beam pair links, the UE 110 may be configured for normal L1-RSRP reporting calculated on configured SS/PBCH and/or CSI-RS resources.
In [0147], an example embodiment, for determining which downlink RSs are good to determine feasible uplink beam pair links, the UE 110 may be configured to provide L1-RSRP reports for the configured SS/PBCH and/or CSI-RS resources which are best from uplink beam pair links determination point of view.
In [0150], the UE 110 may provide, together with the best RSRP values ranked using power headroom calculations, the UE's 110 RX panel index to indicate to the gNB 170 which UE 110 antenna panel has been used to measure reported best RSRP values in power headroom sense.
With regards to claim 8, the combination of Li and Enescu et al discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the UE is configured to receive one DL RS of the one or more DL RSs via a plurality of antenna panels of the at least one antenna panel, wherein the beam report comprises: an index of the one DL RS; a respective panel state of each of the plurality of antenna panels and a respective channel quality measurement result for the one DL RS measured by the antenna panel Enescu teaches a beam indicating for multi-panel UE method and system (see [0101], FIG. 7 provides an example TCI table 700 configured for the UE 110. Table 700 includes columns for a TCI index 210, a source RS set 220, a source RS index/panel index 710 and a QCL type 240).
In [0108], the UE 110 may report in a single reporting instance two different resources [CRI or SSBRI] for each report setting and the corresponding receiver panel tag (Rx-panel-tag), where [CSI-RS and/or SSB] resources may be received simultaneously by the UE 110 either with a single spatial domain receive filter, or with multiple simultaneous spatial domain receive filters. UE 110 may report in a single reporting instance multiple resources, which may be both CSI-RS resources indexed using CRI (CSI-RS resource indicator) and SSB resources indexed using SSBRI (SSB resource indicator), for each report setting and the corresponding RX-panel-tag where resources may be received simultaneously.
In [0122], UE 110 may provide beam reports to gNB 170 indicating with panel tag (antennal panel) which is used for measuring particular BM source RS.
In [0146], an example embodiment, for determining which downlink RSs are good to determine feasible downlink beam pair links, the UE 110 may be configured for normal L1-RSRP reporting calculated on configured SS/PBCH and/or CSI-RS resources.
In [0147], an example embodiment, for determining which downlink RSs are good to determine feasible uplink beam pair links, the UE 110 may be configured to provide L1-RSRP reports for the configured SS/PBCH and/or CSI-RS resources which are best from uplink beam pair links determination point of view.
In [0150], the UE 110 may provide, together with the best RSRP values ranked using power headroom calculations, the UE's 110 RX panel index to indicate to the gNB 170 which UE 110 antenna panel has been used to measure reported best RSRP values in power headroom sense.
With regards to claim 9, the combination of Li and Enescu et al discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: receive, from a base station, an DCI indicating a selected DL RS of the one or more DL RSs; communicate with the base station via the same panel as one indicated in the beam report for receiving the selected DL RS ([0043], the DCI includes a beam indication codeword. The beam indication codeword may be a binary character string and configured to indicate target beam indication information respectively corresponding to the n antenna panels. For example, if the MAC signaling activates multiple TCI states corresponding to the panel #1, then a beam indication codeword in the DCI signaling is configured to indicate a target TCI state corresponding to the panel #1; if MAC signaling activates multiple TCI states corresponding to the panel #2, then a beam indication codeword in the DCI signaling is configured to indicate a target TCI state corresponding to the panel #2; and if the MAC signaling activates multiple TCI states corresponding to the panel #1 and the panel #2, respectively, then the beam indication codeword in the DCI signaling is configured to indicate the target TCI state corresponding to the panel #1 and the target TCI state corresponding to the panel #2).
With regards to claim 54, Li discloses an electronic device for a base station, BS, side, (see fig. 6, Base Station 600, [0156] Further, the base station 600) comprising:
a processing circuit ( [0155] The base station 600 includes a transmitter/receiver 601 and a processor 602 ) configured to:
transmit, to a user equipment, UE, comprising a plurality of antenna panels, one or more downlink reference signals, DL RSs ([0030], the base station sends a PDSCH to a certain terminal by using the panel #1 for a period of time, then the beam indication codeword included in the DCI for the period of time indicates a TCI state on the panel #1); and
Li discloses all of the subject matter discussed above, except for receive a beam report from the UE wherein the beam report comprises: a panel state of at least one of the plurality of antenna panels; an index of at least one DL RS of the one or more DL RSs received via the at least one antenna panel; and a channel quality measurement result for the at least one DL RS.
However, Enescu et al teaches a beam indicating for multi-panel UE method and system (see [0101], FIG. 7 provides an example TCI table 700 configured for the UE 110. Table 700 includes columns for a TCI index 210, a source RS set 220, a source RS index/panel index 710 and a QCL type 240).
In [0108], the UE 110 may report in a single reporting instance two different resources [CRI or SSBRI] for each report setting and the corresponding receiver panel tag (Rx-panel-tag), where [CSI-RS and/or SSB] resources may be received simultaneously by the UE 110 either with a single spatial domain receive filter, or with multiple simultaneous spatial domain receive filters. UE 110 may report in a single reporting instance multiple resources, which may be both CSI-RS resources indexed using CRI (CSI-RS resource indicator) and SSB resources indexed using SSBRI (SSB resource indicator), for each report setting and the corresponding RX-panel-tag where resources may be received simultaneously.
In [0122], UE 110 may provide beam reports to gNB 170 indicating with panel tag (antennal panel) which is used for measuring particular BM source RS.
In [0146], an example embodiment, for determining which downlink RSs are good to determine feasible downlink beam pair links, the UE 110 may be configured for normal L1-RSRP reporting calculated on configured SS/PBCH and/or CSI-RS resources.
In [0147], an example embodiment, for determining which downlink RSs are good to determine feasible uplink beam pair links, the UE 110 may be configured to provide L1-RSRP reports for the configured SS/PBCH and/or CSI-RS resources which are best from uplink beam pair links determination point of view.
In [0150], the UE 110 may provide, together with the best RSRP values ranked using power headroom calculations, the UE's 110 RX panel index to indicate to the gNB 170 which UE 110 antenna panel has been used to measure reported best RSRP values in power headroom sense.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Li ‘s beam report by making use of the technique taught by Enescu, in order to improve the beam management efficiency. MPEP 2143, Rationale C
With regards to claim 55, the combination of Li and Enescu et al discloses the electronic device of claim 54, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: transmit, to the UE, an DCI indicating a selected DL RS of the one or more DL RSs; communicate with the UE via the same beam as the selected DL RS. RS (See Li [0043], the DCI includes a beam indication codeword. The beam indication codeword may be a binary character string and configured to indicate target beam indication information respectively corresponding to the n antenna panels. For example, if the MAC signaling activates multiple TCI states corresponding to the panel #1, then a beam indication codeword in the DCI signaling is configured to indicate a target TCI state corresponding to the panel #1; if MAC signaling activates multiple TCI states corresponding to the panel #2, then a beam indication codeword in the DCI signaling is configured to indicate a target TCI state corresponding to the panel #2; and if the MAC signaling activates multiple TCI states corresponding to the panel #1 and the panel #2, respectively, then the beam indication codeword in the DCI signaling is configured to indicate the target TCI state corresponding to the panel #1 and the target TCI state corresponding to the panel #2).
With regards to claim 57, An electronic device for a user equipment, UE, side, the UE including a plurality of antenna panels, the electronic device comprising: a processing circuit configured to:
receive, from a base station, sounding reference signal, SRS, configuration that configures a plurality of SRS resource sets for the UE;
provide, to the base station, SRS-antenna panel association information comprising:
a panel state of each of the plurality of antenna panels; and an index of a respective SRS resource set to be transmitted via the antenna panel or an index of any SRS in the respective SRS resource set to be transmitted via the antenna panel; and transmit, to the base station and via at least one of the plurality of antenna panels, an SRS in a respective SRS resource set based on the SRS-antenna panel association information. (Claim 57, recites similar limitations as in claim 1 above, except for sounding reference signal, configuration that configures a plurality of SRS resource sets for the UE. See Li page [0038], In addition, the antenna panel indicated by the information element may be represented an identifier of the antenna panel. For example, the identifier of the antenna panel may be represented by a panel ID, and different antenna panels are assigned with different panel IDs correspondingly. Alternatively, the identifier of the antenna panel may be represented by identification information of an RS, which may be SSB, NZP CSI-RS or Sounding Reference Signal (SRS). Claim 57, is rejected similarly as in claim 1 above. See rejection above).
With regards to claim 58, the combination of Li an Enescu et al discloses the electronic device of claim 57, wherein the SRS-antenna panel association information further comprises, for each antenna panel, a panel ID or label for the antenna panel (see Li [0038] , the antenna panel indicated by the information element may be represented an identifier of the antenna panel. For example, the identifier of the antenna panel may be represented by a panel ID, and different antenna panels are assigned with different panel IDs correspondingly. Alternatively, the identifier of the antenna panel may be represented by identification information of an RS, which may be SSB, NZP CSI-RS or Sounding Reference Signal (SRS)).
With regards to claim 59, the combination of Li an Enescu et al discloses the electronic device of claim 57, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: receive, from the base station, an DCI indicating a selected SRS resource set of the plurality of SRS resource sets or a selected SRS in the selected SRS resource set; communicate with the base station via the same antenna panel as one indicated in the SRS-antenna panel association information for transmitting the selected SRS resource set or the selected SRS. (See Li page [0038], In addition, the antenna panel indicated by the information element may be represented an identifier of the antenna panel. For example, the identifier of the antenna panel may be represented by a panel ID, and different antenna panels are assigned with different panel IDs correspondingly. Alternatively, the identifier of the antenna panel may be represented by identification information of an RS, which may be SSB, NZP CSI-RS or Sounding Reference Signal (SRS). [0043], the DCI includes a beam indication codeword. The beam indication codeword may be a binary character string and configured to indicate target beam indication information respectively corresponding to the n antenna panels. For example, if the MAC signaling activates multiple TCI states corresponding to the panel #1, then a beam indication codeword in the DCI signaling is configured to indicate a target TCI state corresponding to the panel #1; if MAC signaling activates multiple TCI states corresponding to the panel #2, then a beam indication codeword in the DCI signaling is configured to indicate a target TCI state corresponding to the panel #2; and if the MAC signaling activates multiple TCI states corresponding to the panel #1 and the panel #2, respectively, then the beam indication codeword in the DCI signaling is configured to indicate the target TCI state corresponding to the panel #1 and the target TCI state corresponding to the panel #2).
Allowable Subject Matter
8. Claims 7,49 and 51-53 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims and also overcome the 112nd rejections stated above.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: none of the prior arts cited alone or in combination provides the motivation to teach the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the UE is configured to receive a plurality of DL RSs of the one or more DL RSs via a same antenna panel of the at least one antenna panel, wherein the beam report comprises, for each of the plurality of DL RSs: a panel state of the same antenna panel; a group label shared by the plurality of DL RSs; an index of the DL RS; and a channel quality measurement result for the DL RS as recited in claim 7; the electronic device of claim 1, the processing circuit is further configured to: in response to a detection of a first condition indicating that the association of the plurality of antenna panels with the one or more DL RSs should change, update the association of the plurality of antenna panels with the one or more DL RSs; and transmit, to the base station, an updated beam report to indicate an updated association of the plurality of antenna panels with the one or more DL RSs as recited in claim 49; and limitations as recited in claims 51-53.
Conclusion
9. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Wang et al (US 20220094499) discloses phase-tracking reference signal configuration in sidelink.
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HELENE E TAYONG whose telephone number is (571)270-1675. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Hannah S Wang can be reached at 571-272-9018. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HELENE E TAYONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631 November 25, 2025